Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1606’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1606’ which is characterized by the combination of a relatively large plant size with an outward growth habit and very broad orbicular plant form, long, linear succulent foliage with an outward attitude and significant spacing between individual leaves, terete foliage with numerous shallow axial grooves and a deeper central channel, dark green foliage with inconspicuous mottled radial bands which are slightly darker green, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Sansevieria hybrid.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Sansevieria disclosedherein has been given the variety denomination ‘SUPSAN1606’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rightsapplication number 2016/3020, filed Dec. 1, 2016, which is hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: The Sansevieria variety ‘SUPSAN1606’ originated as a seedlingselection from the controlled pollination of the proprietary seedparent, Sansevieria hybrid ‘MXJM1061’ (not patented), with theproprietary pollen parent, Sansevieria hybrid ‘MXJF1061’ (not patented).Both parents were developed by, and are owned by, the inventor and werenever commercially released. Said crossing was conducted by the inventorin a small, netted greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand in December of 2009.Seeds from said cross were harvested, then germinated, and the resultingseedlings were grown to a mature size in order to evaluate for adesirable combination of commercial characteristics. In April of 2012,one candidate plant was observed to exhibit a unique growth habit andleaf coloration. After confirmation of the distinctness and stability ofthe characteristics first observed, the inventor selected the newSansevieria cultivar, ‘SUPSAN1606’, for commercial introduction.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘SUPSAN1606’ by way ofharvesting vegetative ground shoots was first initiated in April of 2012at Chonburi, Thailand. Access to all plants was restricted, as plantswere kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequentpropagation of vegetative ground shoots, five generations have beenreproduced which have shown that the unique features of this cultivarare stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SUPSAN1606’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘SUPSAN1606’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘SUPSAN1606’ as a new and distinct Sansevieria cultivar:

-   -   1. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1606’ is a relatively large plant with an        outward growth habit and very broad orbicular plant form; and    -   2. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1606’ exhibits long, linear succulent        foliage with an outward attitude and significant spacing between        individual leaves; and    -   3. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1606’ exhibits terete foliage with        numerous shallow axial grooves and a deeper central channel; and    -   4. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1606’ exhibits dark green foliage with        inconspicuous mottled radial bands which are slightly darker        green.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘SUPSAN1606’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand.This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted in a 10 cmcontainer.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of‘SUPSAN1606’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements, made in October of 2017,describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 month old‘SUPSAN1606’ plants grown in 10 cm containers, at a commercialgreenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand. The plants were grown usingconventional greenhouse production protocols for Sansevieria plantswhich consisted of overhead irrigation, 50% shade cloth, and nofertilizer. No photoperiodic or chemical treatments were given to theplants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘SUPSAN1606’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘SUPSAN1606’ and comparisons with the parentsand most similar commercial variety of Sansevieria are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Monopodial perennial; equitant.        -   Plant form.—Vertically flattened, very broad flattened            orbicular.        -   Average height.—32.5 cm.        -   Plant spread.—24.4 cm at the narrowest point, and 90.0 cm at            the widest point.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderate.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.        -   Propagation type.—Division of vegetative ground shoots;            harvesting ground shoots from the mother plant.        -   Propagation details.—The time needed to root a shoot            division is approximately 2 to 3 months with temperatures            ranging from approximately 17 to 40 degrees Celsius.        -   Disease resistance.—Plants have not been observed to be            susceptible or resistant to pathogens and pests common to            Sansevieria.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            and 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to            wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Moderately dense and moderately branched rooting;            roots are slightly fibrous.        -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately            deep.        -   Diameter of roots.—0.2 cm on average.        -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.        -   Color.—Greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 165B.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching habit.—Monopodial, equitant; decurrent leaf bases            form the stem.        -   Number of primary (main) stems per plant.—One.        -   Number of secondary (lateral) branches per plant.—None.        -   Appearance and shape.—Stem is not visible; decurrent leaf            bases form the stem.        -   Length.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an            average length of 6.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an            average diameter of 2.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.9 cm.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Distichous.        -   Attachment.—Decurrent.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Quantity.—7.        -   Attitude.—At an average angle of 72.5 degrees to vertical.        -   Lamina.—Dimensions — 46.7 cm long and 2.3 cm wide. Thickness            — Approximately 2.4 cm. Shape of blade — Narrowly linear in            outline. Cross-section — Terete with numerous shallow axial            grooves and a deeper central channel. Aspect — Slightly            curved downward. Apex — Narrowly acute with a papery tip,            which is colored greyed-white, nearest to RHS 156C. Base —            Decurrent. Margin — Leaves are terete so there are no            margins, with the exception of the leaf base; leaf base            margins are entire. Texture of upper surface — Glabrous;            smooth; succulent. Texture of lower surface — Glabrous;            smooth; succulent. Luster of the upper surface — Matte.            Luster of the lower surface — Matte. Color — Juvenile            foliage, upper surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS            NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A, with mottled radial            bands which are colored nearest to a mixture of            yellow-green, RHS 147B, and greyed-green, RHS 191B. Juvenile            foliage, lower surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS            NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A, with mottled radial            bands which are colored nearest to a mixture of            yellow-green, RHS 147B, and greyed-green, RHS 191B; base is            yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144C. Mature foliage, upper            surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS 137B, and            yellow-green, RHS 147A, with mottled radial bands which are            colored yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 147B and            147C. Mature foliage, lower surface — Nearest to in between            green, RHS 137B, and yellow-green, RHS 147A, with mottled            radial bands which are colored yellow-green, nearest to a            mixture of RHS 147B and 147C; margins of the decurrent base            are papery and translucent and colored greyed-white, nearest            to RHS 156A. Venation — Pattern — Parallel. Color, upper            surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS 139A, and            yellow-green, RHS 147A, but slightly darker. Color, lower            surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS 139A, and            yellow-green, RHS 147A, but slightly darker.        -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves are decurrent.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

Comparisons With the Parent Plants

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1606’ differ from the seed parent,Sansevieria hybrid ‘MXJM1061’ (not patented), by the characteristicsdescribed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1606’ ‘MXJM1061’ Plant size. Larger thanSmaller than ‘MXJM1061’. ‘SUPSAN1606'. Foliage cross section. Teretewith numerous Terete. shallow axial grooves and a deeper centralchannel. Foliage thickness. Thicker. Thinner. Foliage texture. Lesssmooth than Smoother than ‘MXJM1061’. ‘SUPSAN1606’. General colorationof the Darker green closer to Lighter green. foliage. greyed-green.General coloration of the Darker green. Lighter green. leaf venation.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1606’ differ from the pollen parent,Sansevieria hybrid ‘MXJF1061’ (not patented), by the characteristicsdescribed in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1606’ ‘MXJF1061’ Plant size. Larger thanSmaller than ‘MXJF1061’. ‘SUPSAN1606’. Foliage length. Longer thanShorter than ‘MXJF1061’. ‘SUPSAN1606’. Foliage thickness. Thicker.Thinner. Foliage texture. Smoother than Less smooth than ‘MXJF1061’.‘SUPSAN1606’. General coloration of the Darker green closer toGreyed-green. foliage. greyed-green. General coloration of the Lightergreen. Darker green. leaf venation.

Comparison With the Most Similar Sansevieria Cultivar Known to theInventor

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1606’ are most similar to thecommercial cultivar, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘SAN201202’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 24,457). A comparison of ‘SUPSAN1606’ with ‘SAN201202’ is describedin Table 3.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1606’ ‘SAN201202’ Growth habit. Lesscompact than More compact than ‘SANS201202’. ‘SUPSAN1606’. Foliageattitude. More outward; greater More upright; individual spacing betweenleaves are held more individual leaves. tightly together. Leaf aspect.Slightly curved Generally straight. downward. Foliage apex. Narrowlyacute. Acute. General coloration of Darker green closer to Lightergreen. the foliage. greyed-green. Prominence of the Less prominent greenMore prominent green color pattern mottled radial bands. mottled radialbands. on the foliage.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Sansevieriaplant named ‘SUPSAN1606’, substantially as described and illustratedherein.